'Don’t let the unity and love... end with this campaign': Bellingham's appeal to fans
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has expressed his gratitude to supporters following the Three Lions' FIFA World Cup 2026 exit, thanking fans for standing by the team and urging them to maintain the unity displayed throughout the tournament.
Sharing a heartfelt message on Instagram, the Real Madrid star admitted he found it difficult to put his emotions into words after England's semi-final defeat before thanking supporters for their unwavering encouragement.
England's World Cup journey ended with a dramatic 2-1 loss to defending champions Argentina in the semi-finals. Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the second half, but Argentina fought back through Enzo Fernandez before Lautaro Martinez scored a stoppage-time winner to book their place in the final.
Reflecting on the campaign, Bellingham encouraged fans to remain united and expressed confidence that England could achieve greater success in the future with continued support.
"Was really struggling to find the right words for yesterday and the last few weeks but this pretty much hits the nail on the head from our driver in Kansas. Thank you for the unbelievable support from back home and to those who spent their hard earned money to travel to America and get behind us. Don't let the unity and love we've seen in our country end with this campaign. When we're together we can achieve big things... And we will! Love yous!" Bellingham wrote.
Bellingham enjoyed an impressive tournament, finishing as England's leading scorer with six goals and one assist in seven appearances. He was instrumental in guiding the Three Lions to the semi-finals, producing standout displays in the knockout stages, including braces against Mexico and Norway.
The semi-final itself was a closely fought contest, with both sides battling for control in midfield during a cagey opening half that produced few clear-cut chances.
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England eventually broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon converted Morgan Rogers' cross to hand the Three Lions the advantage.
After taking the lead, England adopted a more defensive approach, allowing Argentina to dictate possession. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford produced several important saves, while Alexis Mac Allister struck the post before Argentina finally found an equaliser.
Enzo Fernandez levelled the scores in the 85th minute after being set up by Lionel Messi.
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Deep into stoppage time, Messi delivered a cross into the box, where Lautaro Martinez headed home the winning goal to complete Argentina's dramatic comeback.
The victory sent Argentina into the World Cup final, where they will face Spain on Sunday, July 19 (local time). England, meanwhile, saw their hopes of reaching a first World Cup final since 1966 come to an end and will now take on France in the third-place playoff. (ANI)